Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II

Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
Collage of commemorations and events of the jubilee, Clockwise: Crowds at The Mall on 2 June; Jubilee Beacon lighting in East Hoathly with Halland; The Queen and members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the National Service of Thanksgiving; Diamond Jubilee Floral display at the Chelsea Flower Show 2012 in London; The Queen and members of the royal family aboard the MV Spirit of Chartwell during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant; the Canadian Diamond Jubilee flag displayed on Canada House
Genre	Jubilee of the monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms
Date(s)	6 February 2012
Country	United Kingdom Canada Australia New Zealand Commonwealth of Nations
Previous event	Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
Next event	Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II
Website	www.thediamondjubilee.org

The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for Queen Victoria.

Following the tradition of the Queen's Silver and Golden Jubilees, commemorative events were held throughout the Commonwealth of Nations. In comparison to the previous Golden Jubilee, events in the United Kingdom were significantly scaled back due to the economic policies of the governing Conservative Party deeming excessive cost to the taxpayer amidst widespread austerity as inappropriate.^[1][2]

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh toured the United Kingdom and other members of the royal family toured the rest of the Commonwealth as the monarch's representatives. The Jubilee celebrations marked the beginning of the withdrawal of the Duke of Edinburgh from public life and a more prominent role for the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry in Commonwealth affairs.

Numerous events and tributes were held over the year and throughout the Commonwealth, culminating in a jubilee pageant held in London. The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust was set up as a charitable foundation with a mission to leave a lasting legacy across the Commonwealth.^[3] Other projects included the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood and the issuing of commemorative medals.